Strong Networks
by Arikae
Summary: Post Trust Metric: What if Colby took the DC job and now his new team and his former team must work together to solve a case? Can Don's team trust Colby to get the job done?


**Author's note: So remember how I said "Lost Memories" was going to be my last post-Trust Metric story and then I wrote "Disappointed", well obviously I was lying. This is another 'what if' post-Trust Metric story. "Disappointed" kind of started the idea going in my head and now here it is. Like most of my stories there is hurt/comfort and angst. I hope you like it.**

 **Warning: Un-betaed**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Numb3rs characters.**

Colby Granger enjoyed a well-earned drink with his team. They just closed a case, arresting a drug-dealer the FBI have been investigating for the over five years now. "Hey, here's to Granger! We've been after Petrelli for years and this guy comes on the case and nails him just like that!" That was Colby's partner for two years now. Special Agent Sebastian Revesby. He was a couple of years older than Colby and much more boisterous. His idea of a celebration was a stripper's bar. Colby never felt comfortable in those places and on the nights he indulged his friend, he would spend the night at the bar while Sebastian enjoyed the ladies. It was a relief when the rest of the team wanted a more subdued celebration.

Their team leader, Chris Adderton, joined in with Sebastian's toast. "Seb's right, we wouldn't have got these guys if you didn't go undercover. You would've made one hell of a drug dealer." He clinked his beer with Colby's. "Glad you're on our side."

Colby nodded, "Thanks, Boss."

Janet Gonzales and Jason Renshaw, rounded off the team. "I still don't know why Don Eppes let you go." Janet rubbed up against him, making him blush. "If it were me, I would be begging you to stay." He knew the sexy brunette deliberately flirted with him because it made him uncomfortable. She was beautiful and everyone (including herself) knew it. Maybe that was what made her less attractive to him. She was a great agent but definitely not someone who would make a good girlfriend, let alone a good wife.

Jason, her partner, was gay. Sometimes he wondered if Chris deliberately partnered him with her because he knew nothing could happen between them. Inter-agency relationships were not encouraged, relationships within a team were frowned upon but a relationship between partners was definitely not allowed. The way Janet flirted; putting her with any straight guy was dangerous. "Would you get off the man, Janet? He's clearly not into you."

"You're just jealous because he's straight and you can't get this close to him." Janet teased her partner. Colby closed his eyes, a little worried at where this was going to lead.

"No, you're just annoyed you can't wrap Granger around your finger the way you do with a lot of our other agents." Jason knew he was right. It was a little annoying she didn't get a reaction out of Granger. "He's not into you, Janet. Get over it."

Much to Colby's relief, she rolled her eyes and moved off him. Sebastian laughed at Colby's red cheeks. "Man, it's been two years! Just shove her off you next time." Colby just smiled and took another swig of his beer.

Chris studied his newest member. It true what Sebastian said; it has been two years and Colby still seemed a little out of sorts. It wasn't that he was a bad agent. In fact, Colby was his best. He gave it his all on every single case and if he kept going on this road, he could surpass the rest of his team for a promotion. It wouldn't be a surprise if, by this time next year, Colby was leading his own team. No, his abilities will never be in question. It was the way he was with the team. He didn't gel with the rest of them. Chris read his file while he was on Don Eppes team and until it was revealed that he was a double agent and then a triple agent, he was tight with every member, especial David Sinclair. He wondered what was stopping Colby from forming a similar relationship with his team.

Colby gave Chris an amused looked when he saw that his leader was staring at him. Chris looked down, a little embarrassed at being caught before nudging his head towards the bar. Colby nodded and followed. "What's up, Boss?"

"I was just thinking. You don't talk about your old teammates much." Chris was curious.

Colby's smile faltered and he looked down at his hands. "They weren't really my teammates, were they?" He looked back up and gave a tight smile. "I was placed to find a mole. I was never officially a part of the team."

Chris could hear the hurt in the man's voice. "Not officially, but you watched their backs and they watched yours. In my books, that's a team."

Colby sighed, "If it was that simple, I would be in L.A not here."

"They didn't see it that way?" Chris asked.

Colby had a faraway look in his eyes as he shook his head. "Nope. Those two years meant nothing to them."

"I'm sure that's not true." Chris was taken aback when Colby turned on him, a little angry.

"I am nothing to them." Colby said slowly before he finished off his beer, then as if he had swallowed all that anger, he smiled at his boss. "I think that's it for me. I'm going to call it night. I'll see you in the morning." Chris watched him leave the bar, a little worried. Is this why Colby refused to form a connection with this team? Because the strong connections he formed with Eppes's team were so easily broken? Chris sighed. There wasn't much he could do about it.

* * *

 **Two months later…**

Chris Adderton watched Colby work from his office. He looked down at the file sent from the FBI office in L.A. They had a case that involved a terrorist ring indicating a possible terrorist attack in D.C. The director was sending over an L.A team in charge to coordinate with them to bring down the terrorist ring. Chris sighed as he read the leading agents name; Donald Eppes.

Don's team were on a flight today. Chris looked at his watch. He had to tell Colby before the team arrived. He got up to speak to his agent. "Hey, Colby."

Colby looked up at his boss's voice. "Yeah?"

"Listen, we just receive some intel on a…" He was interrupted by footsteps walking towards them. Chris looked up. "Oh crap." He cursed softly as Don Eppes and his team walked towards them.

Colby turned to see who his boss was cursing at then quickly turn his back to them. _Why are they here?_ He never thought he would see any of them again, let alone, all of them. Don Eppes, David Sinclair and Megan Reeves. He was pretty sure Don didn't see him or else he was just ignoring him. He looked around for an escape but Chris was standing in the way. There was nothing Colby could do. He closed his eyes and wished he could disappear.

"Agent Adderton." Don held out his hand, "I'm Agent Don Eppes. L.A office." He pointed to David and Megan behind him. "This is Agent David Sinclair and Megan Reeves."

Chris shook their hands. He wasn't happy that he couldn't give Colby the heads up before his former teammates arrived. "Um…yeah…" He looked at his watch. "I wasn't expecting you for another hour."

Don smiled apologetically, "Sorry, but we figured with the nature of the threat we should probably get onto it as soon as we can." He looked at his own watch, "I hope you don't mind but my brother will also be on the case. He's on the next flight."

Chris reached back and put a hand on Colby's shoulder, hoping to provide a little support but all he felt was a lot of tension; tension that could blow up any minute. "Of course not. Charlie Eppes is a bit of celebrity around here. We hear a lot about his powers." Don and his team chuckled at that. It was clear they were proud of what Charlie could do.

Colby sat there listening to his two bosses exchange pleasantries. He felt his boss hand on his shoulder, it was warm but it little to calm him. As soon as he saw Don, all the emotions he kept bottle up for the last couple of years threatened to explode out of him. He didn't know how angry and resentful he was until now. It's been two years, why are these feeling still here? Why was the rejection still so raw? Why did he want to tear apart every piece of furniture in this office? This was a joke. It was a sick joke.

Chris jumped when Colby shot up in his seat. "Sorry, boss, I need some air." He stepped past Chris and didn't even give his former team a glance as pushed his way through them. Colby didn't bother with the lift, he went straight for the fire escape and ran up.

Don turned in shock when Colby pushed past him. He watched the man escape up the fire exit. "Colby." He whispered, then looked at each of his teammates. They looked as if they had seen a ghost.

"Special Agent Colby Granger." Chris drew their attention back to him. "But you already know that. He's my best agent."

Don slowly turned back to Chris, "I didn't know he was on your team."

Chris shrugged, "Why would you? When you let him go, I take it you didn't check to see where he was assigned?" He sounded bitter. Colby may not gel with his team they way he wanted but it didn't mean he wasn't protective of him.

David heard the bitter tone in the man's voice and didn't like it. There was an accusation there. He was just as shocked to see Colby and he was just as unhappy. He knew Don wasn't happy about letting Colby go, but he did because he knew he couldn't fit in anymore, not after what he did and David agreed. How could he fit in with a team he lied to for two years?

Megan looked back at the door Colby left through. Out of all them, she missed Colby the most. She was as angry as any of them when she found out he was a double agent but that anger dissipated as soon as Colby was revealed to be undercover. He wasn't a spy. He was a hero. "Don, I'm going to talk to him." She said before running after her friend.

Don sighed, "I knew Colby was assigned to DC. It's a great opportunity for him."

Chris nodded, "He's a great agent and he'll be climbing the ladder whether he wants to or not."

Don smiled, relieved Colby was doing well here. "Good for him."

Chris shook his head, "Not really." Don's smile faltered. "Come on! You trying to tell me you didn't know he wanted to stay in L.A? I figured that out the moment he walked into my office."

Don remembered the conversation they had when they were staking out the traffic camera.

" _I guess the right thing to do is to take that job in D.C."_

 _Don nodded, "Yeah, it is. Not just for you but for us too."_

 _Colby hid his disappointment well. He didn't even get to ask Don if he could stay on the team. "I'll give the director my answer in the morning." Colby picked up his binoculars. He wanted to tell Don that he didn't lie about himself. He was placed there to spy on the entire office, not just the team. He had a job to do and the stakes were high. His connection with the team was real. He wanted to tell Don all these things but he was worried that he wouldn't be able to keep his emotions at by if he opened his mouth. It was a good thing the perp they were looking for appeared then._

"We're here for the case, not Colby. So why don't we start on that?" David voice as all business.

"Sure, Agent Sinclair." Chris gave him a tight smile and lead the way to their briefing office. "Jason, Janet, Seb!" He gestured for his agents to follow them into the room.

* * *

Megan found Colby on the rooftop of the FBI building. It was a beautiful view of their capital. The Washington tower could be seen in the distance, the White House and the Pentagon.

Colby knew someone else was on the rooftop with him. "It's beautiful up here." Megan. Of course, it would be Megan. She's the most understanding, compassionate and kind-hearted. "You come up here often?"

"Only when I'm trying to get away from my past." Colby answered, coldly. Megan might be the most compassionate but that didn't protect her from his anger at the moment. Nothing could.

Megan smiled sadly at that, taking slow steps towards him. "Is that often?"

"No. I don't think about L.A. My life is here in D.C." Colby's tone was still blunt.

"I missed you, you know?" Megan stepped up beside him but not too close. She leaned her forearms on the ledge.

"Wish I could say the same." Colby wouldn't look at her.

Megan sighed, "This case we have, we have to work together."

Colby did look at her at that. "Are you asking me if I can be professional about this, Agent Reeves?"

Megan shook her head, sadly, "That's not what I meant."

"Yeah, well, whatever your meaning, you don't have to worry about me. I'll do whatever it takes to get my job done." Colby turned away and headed back down to the office.

Megan sighed at Colby's retreating back. "I know you will. I'm just hope it doesn't take too much."

* * *

Colby returned to the office with Megan not far behind him. He saw they were in the briefing room…both teams. Colby entered. "Sorry, boss." He ignored his former team and sat on the other side of the long table with his team.

"We only just started. I take it I don't have to introduce you."

"No, I know Agent Eppes and his team."

"Don't be so sure of that." David mumbled under his breath. Don glared at him but didn't say a word.

Megan joined them. "Sorry."

"Agent Reeves, these are Agents Sebastian Revesby, Jason Renshaw and Janet Gonzales." Chris turned to his team. "This is Agent Megan Reeves. Agent Eppes's profiler."

Megan shook each of their hands and took a seat next to David. Don spoke up once the introductions were made. "We're all Agents here so can we just forgo formality and stick with first names?" Everyone nodded, they had to work together on this case, so keeping it casual was a good idea. "Great." He looked at Chris, asking if he can take over the presentation. Chris sat down and nodded for him to go ahead. Don pressed the clicker to bring up the first picture. "This man is Raj Harmon. We arrested him two days ago trying to steal a virus from a pharmaceutical company. He was creating a new strain of the SARS virus. Our interrogation team are still working on him in L.A, but we did manage to figure out the target of the attack is here in D.C." Don kept clicking through the pictures and files, catching the D.C team up. They got to the last part. "We found this man dead in an alley. We believe he is the delivery method." He waved away the questions he knew was going to rear up, "My brother will explain how he worked that out. He died from a mugging gone wrong so it is our belief that the terror cell has not worked out that their man is dead."

"You want someone to impersonate him and lure out the ring-leader?" Chris deduced, nodding. "Who?"

"His description fits a couple of us; Colby and me."

Colby stared at the man on the screen and then at Don. "I'll do it."

Megan smiled, "We were hoping you'd say that."

Don nodded, "Megan's right. It's undercover work and you're the best man for the job." He meant it as a compliment. It was an olive branch he was extending to Colby, hoping to make amends with the agent, but Colby didn't take it.

Colby turned to him, his eyes cold. "Lying. It's what I do best. Right?"

Don sighed, "That's not what I meant."

"But it's true. Two years on your team and nobody suspected a thing." Colby smirked, "What's this two weeks tops? I can handle it."

Chris frowned at Colby's tone. He was completely different to the man he's known for the last two years. Leaning back he looked at the rest of his team and could see they felt the same way.

Sebastian leaned over so he could whisper in his partner's ear. "You okay, man?"

Colby looked at him and smiled his normal smile, reassuring his partner. "I'm fine."

"We don't have much time. He's supposed to be meeting with Harmon tonight." Don told him.

Chris and the rest of his team, not including Colby, sat up in their seat. "No way." Janet complained, "You can't come in here with something so big and expect Colby to just jump right in."

"We're sorry, but we came as soon as we got the information. It's tonight or Harmon and his men go into hiding. This is our best chance." Don was speaking to all of them but his eyes never left Colby. "It's your decision, Colby."

Colby stood and grabbed the file containing everything he needed to know about Matthew Jackson. "I need to study." He said before leaving the room.

Don nodded to Megan to go help Colby. He needed someone familiar with the case to help him get into character. Don prayed he was doing the right thing. He looked at David who was looking at Sebastian, who was staring back at David. Don frowned, what were they doing? Don turned to Chris and saw he was a little baffled as well. Were these two sizing each other up? Don shook his head. "Anyway, that's everything we know. Once Colby's in, hopefully he can get us a precise location and we can shut these guys down."

* * *

Colby was wrong. It wasn't an easy job.

Colby sat inside the damp, cold apartment building Harmon had set up for him. He was inside the circle but he wasn't told anything. He was told to not talk to anyone. Since the initial contact, nobody has contacted him. He managed to relay information to the team through a low-tech delivery method. He wrote the information on a lunch wrapper and threw in the trashcan whenever he saw someone on the team approaching. All he could give them so far were more names and a couple of dates he had heard on the first day. It's been over a week now and the isolation was getting to him. He didn't know the nightmare was only just about to begin.

It was almost midnight when someone knocked on his door. He looked in the peephole. It was one of the men in the terror cell. "We have a job for you." Habib told him, taking his arm and pulling him out the door.

"I can walk on my own." Colby complained. He was dragged outside and shoved into a dark van. "What the hell is this?" Colby was worried now. He was careful but maybe they found something that proved he wasn't Matthew Jackson.

"Mr Harmon would like you to prove your loyalty. We have someone we need you to kill."

Colby's heart started beating double time. He always knew this could happen but he wasn't sure he could go through with it. "Who?" Colby kept his calm. He had the small homing beacon in the sleeve of his hoodie, ready to use it if this got out of hand. The van stopped in a park and Habib pushed Colby out. "Where are we?"

"Kill the girl and we will come pick you up." Habib handed him a gun, closed the door and the van left.

Colby pressed the button on his beacon before he looked around, his heart pounded hard in his chest. "Kill a girl?" He looked around. "What girl?" He looked at the gun in his hand. "What girl?" Then he spotted her. A girl sitting on a bench. As Colby approached her from the side, he saw the she was only just waking up. She looked familiar. He froze when he saw who it was. _Megan._

Megan looked up at him, groggy. She remembered coming out of a Chinese take away restaurant when she was grabbed. She was about to call out to him when she saw who was standing there but he gave a small shake of the head. She stood up slowly, unsure of what's going on.

Colby looked at the gun in his hand and then at her. If he didn't do this they'd both die. He knew Harmon had his eye on him right now, but how could he do this? This was Megan!

" _Thanks for helping me. This is a lot of information to take in." Colby told her while she was helping him study Jackson's background._

 _Megan reached over and took his hand. "Aside from the fact that this is my job, I also want you to come out of this alive."_

 _Colby smiled the crooked smile she loved so much. "I'll do what I can, but this is more complicated than I thought."_

 _Megan grinned cheekily at him, "So it's not easy compared with being a spy?"_

 _Colby chuckled. "You guys made being a spy in your office easy and hard. It was easy because I could be myself. I could tell you guys anything, but that made it hard as well because I knew you'd have to find out sooner or later." He looked at her sadly, "You made it hard to not form a connection with you. I didn't want to because I knew it couldn't last but I couldn't help it."_

 _Megan squeezed his hand, "It was hard because you're a good guy, Colby."_

 _Colby nodded, "I missed you too." He returned the sentiment from the rooftop._

Colby gripped the gun and aimed. He prayed he was as good of a shot as he believed he was. Megan saw the pain in his eyes and gave a small nod. She was willing to sacrifice her life if it meant saving possibly millions. "I'm sorry." He mouthed. The bullet hit her just below her rib cage.

Megan fell backwards as soon as the bullet impacted with her body. It felt strange. She didn't feel the pain. It was just the shock of getting shot.

Colby walked up to her and pointed the gun at her head. "Stay down." He whispered and shot into the ground next to her head. To anybody, it would look like he shot her in the head. He knelt down, pretending to check her pulse. "Stay still, they're watching. I've activated the beacon." He tucked in under her collar. "Don will be here soon." He gave her one last look. "Please don't die." Colby pleaded before walking back down the hill where the van had come to a stop. He got in and closed the door, blocking out what he just did.

* * *

Don was still at the office with David and Charlie. Charlie was trying work out the dates and the names Colby had given them. The terrorist group was growing. It now consisted of eight men. They had two so far and thanks to Colby three were under surveillance. Charlie was making the connections but he still needed more information. "These guys are good. They're not giving out details until the last minute. All these men only know a portion of the plan." He turned to his brother. "They're not going to give Colby the information until the morning of the attack."

"Will Harmon be there? We can't do anything unless Harmon is there." David pointed out, "Otherwise this will be for nothing."

"Megan thinks this man is a showman as well as a terrorist. He'll be there and he'll want his men to be there when it happens." Don nodded thoughtfully. "He wants to show off."

Don pulled out his phone and looked at the I.D. It was Chris. "Eppes."

"Don," Don frowned, Chris sounded out of breath. "Colby's beacon's been activated." Don got up and gestured for David and Charlie to follow him. "We're on our way now. Meet us at the Martin Luther King Memorial!"

Don hung up the phone, "Colby activated his beacon." He dialled Megan's cell. It rang but no one answered. "Damn it. Where's Megan?"

"She went to get take out." David looked at his watch. "That was over an hour ago."

Don and David exchanged worried expressions. Something is very wrong.

* * *

It wasn't hard to find where to go. As they neared they saw the red and blue flashing lights of police cars and ambulance. Don stopped the car and bolted towards the lights with David and Charlie on his heels.

Chris was talking to the paramedic when he saw Don running down the hill towards them. He quickly thanked the paramedics and intercepted Don. "She's alive." He told him quickly.

Don frowned as he looked from the ambulance to Chris. "She? Megan?"

Chris nodded, "She was unconscious when I got here but the paramedics tell me she's going to be fine. She's lost a lot of blood but we got to her in time." He held up a bag. "We found this on her."

David snatched it off him. "That's Colby's beacon." He glared at Chris. "What the hell happened here? Did Colby do this?"

Chris was hesitant. "If he didn't, he saw it happen."

"And he left her to die!" David yelled, drawing everyone's attention.

Don looked at the grass where Megan's blood soaked through. "David, go to the hospital and stay with Megan. Charlie, go with him."

Charlie nodded and took David by the arm, leading him back up the hill to their car. Don waited until they were far enough away before he spoke. "Do you think Colby did this?"

Chris narrowed his eyes at him. "You known him for as long as I have. What do you think?"

Don rubbed his forehead, "I've been wrong about him before."

Chris nodded, "The Chinese Spy case. I've heard. Can you really compare that to this? We put him undercover."

"I know that."

"So you're asking me if Colby's turned?" Chris could barely get the words out. "I don't believe he has. He's the best agent I've ever had on my team."

Don nodded, "Maybe that is clouding your judgement. Everything here is telling me he shot Megan or at the very least left her to die."

"And maybe your history with him is clouding your judgement because that beacon," Chris pointed to the bag in Don's hand, "tells me Colby tried to save her life."

Chris left him to think about that. Don sighed, wishing Colby left more clues as to what happened. Was he wrong to trust Colby with this case?

* * *

As soon as the van outside his apartment left, Colby dropped to his knees in the middle of his dank apartment. He was shaking so badly he couldn't pick himself back up. "Please don't die…please don't die…please don't die!" All the facts told him Megan was alive. He shot her where little damage could be done. He pressed the beacon as soon as the van left. His team wasn't far. They could get to her before she bled out. He knew this. He gave her the highest chance to survive but that doesn't change the fact that he had to shoot an FBI Agent. A friend. Colby laid on the dirty carpet, alone. He felt as if his lungs weren't working, everything was closing in on him. This was his fault. He wasn't careful enough when he was passing the messages. Harmon had him followed and made Megan. They didn't know what was happening only that Megan appeared twice in an area he was in. That was it. It was only suspicion but enough to cost Megan her life. Colby curled himself into a tight ball. "Please don't die." He kept praying and praying. "Please don't die."

* * *

Megan was still unconscious. The doctor said she was lucky, the bullet didn't hit any vital organs and even though the blood loss was substantial, they were able to get to her in time. However, she still hadn't woken up. "Everyone reacts to anesthetics differently. I wouldn't worry too much. Her vitals are fine." That was what the doctors had told them.

David sat at her bedside, refusing to move. He clenched and unclenched his fist as he thought about how Megan ended up here. He should've told Don that Colby couldn't be trusted with this but he didn't because Don wouldn't hear it. Don had warned him not to bring up the Chinese espionage case while they were here, especially not after the cold reception Colby had given them. It made him even angrier to see that Colby was angry with them. He wasn't the one who was lied to. What gave Colby the right to be angry? David picked up Megan's hand. "If I find out Colby did this to you, I'm putting him behind bars and he's never going to see daylight again." David promised. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number he hoped he never had to use.

* * *

When morning came, Colby was still lying in the same spot he was when he arrived home. It wasn't until he heard a knock on his door that he forced himself to get up. He still had a job to do. All of this would be for nothing if he didn't finish this. He opened the door and was surprised to see Harmon. The man smiled at him. "Time to put on a show, Matthew." Colby just smiled back and nodded.

Colby was given a canister in a backpack. "All you have to do is turn the knob." He was given instructions in the car. "The museum will be full of children at this time of the day. People will be talking about this for decades. I will make sure no one forgets your name, Matthew Jackson." Colby just nodded. Harmon kissed him on the head. This man was psychotic. There was no real reason behind this attack except to make a name for himself. "I will be watching you. You will be a hero."

He was dropped off two blocks away from the Smithsonian. He walked quickly, bumping into a man and swiping his cell phone. A friend at Quantico taught him that. He sent a message as quickly and as inconspicuously as he could before slipping the phone in his pocket.

* * *

Don pulled out his cell. He was at the hospital with David and Charlie. It was a message from an unknown phone. "Smithsonian. Air space. Now." Don shot up. "Let's go. Colby's got a location. It's happening now."

David and Charlie got up and followed Don out. Don called Chris. They needed to clear the Smithsonian without causing too much panic. He knew the Museum personnel would know what to do. Their security team should be trained for this. "Can we trust, Colby?" David asked him.

"We don't have a choice."

* * *

Colby frowned at the backpack as it was being scanned. He knew Harmon's men had done something to trick the x-ray machines though he was curious as to what. "Thank you, Sir." The security guard handed him his back.

"Thank you." He returned and carefully hefted the backpack onto his shoulder. He looked around, hoping to see an Agent somewhere. He made his way to the Air and space section, noticing how the crowd was thinning out the closer he got. He hoped it meant what he thought it meant. Still, no Agents in sight though. Where would Harmon place himself? Somewhere he could get away quickly. He looked towards the emergency exits and saw him. He was dressed as a security guard. Harmon nodded for him to release the gas. "Come on, Don." He found it weird that after two years he would call for his old boss rather than the current one. He would call out for the one who didn't trust him rather than the one who did. Kneeling down to open the bag, he looked around. There were still too many children around. "Come on, Don!" He begged. He sighed in relief when he saw Janet appear as a security guard, quietly talking to the class teacher to go to the next area. David appeared as well, doing the same thing with another class of kindergartens.

It was too late for Harmon and his men to run. The team already had them surrounded. Harmon made one last attempt by shooting at the bag with the canister. Colby grabbed it and pulled it against himself, protecting the contents. He only managed two shots before he was disarmed. These guys were smart but their execution had enough flaws for the team to exploit.

Colby closed his eyes in relief, moving away from the bag after ensuring the canister was in tact. The CDC will take care of it. He looked around relieved that it was all over. That was when he a sharp pain in his side and was going to take a look when his arms were pulled roughly behind his back. "You're under arrest for the attempted murder of FBI Agent Megan Reeves." David whispered in his ears.

At first Colby didn't resists. He only focused on the words. Attempted murder. Not murder. "She's alive." Colby whispered as he was shoved towards the exit of the museum. "She alive?" Colby asked again when David didn't answer him.

"No thanks to you!"

Colby almost collapsed in relief. Megan's alive. It still didn't register that he was being arrested until he reached an FBI truck. "He's all your." David told the Agents there. Colby frowned. These agents were Internal Affairs.

"What the hell?" Colby turned as soon as they got him in the truck and saw David's glare before the door closed on him.

* * *

Chris and the team handed over the five men to the other FBI Agents to process before going in search for Colby. The man was a hero, if not for him, thousands could've died today and more later as the disease spread. "Where's Colby?" Chris asked when he saw Don. Don looked at David who was on the phone with someone.

"I don't know." Don was about to ask David when his agent ran up to him, smiling.

"Megan's awake. I'm heading over now." Don grinned in relief, he looked at Chris and his team.

"Go, we'll find Colby." Chris waved them away, knowing they would be just as eager if it were one of theirs.

* * *

Colby sat in the interrogation room in Internal Affairs. He didn't like these guys. He knew they were only doing their jobs but they were ruthless at it. They didn't give anybody a chance. Nobody was allowed to make a mistake in his or her eyes. How long has he been sitting here for? An hour? Long enough to find the questions maddening.

"You shot Megan Reeves! You admit that and you were going to release that virus! How much were they paying you, Granger?"

"I shot her but it was to save her life. I had no choice unless I wanted to blow my cover! I didn't accept any money!"

"Don't lie. We already have a warrant for your bank accounts. Agent Sinclair already told us about Agent Reeves. You're going to lose your badge, it's just a matter of whether you'll be doing time in Gitmo." Agent Warren threatened.

Colby paled at the mention of David's name. He was in here because David called Internal Affairs. He knew David didn't trust him but he didn't know the man hated him this much. He sank back in his chair defeated. He didn't know how much hope he was holding out for returning to L.A. until now. He acted like he didn't care where he was but all he wanted was to be with his old team and for everything to go back to normal. He didn't understand why doing something for his country could end up putting him on this side of the interrogation table. Cuffed. "Give me a pen and pad. I'll give you everything." Agent Warren smiled, thinking he had won. He had found a bad seed. His partner came in with a pen and pad and put in front of Colby.

Colby started writing.

* * *

Megan smiled tiredly when her boss walked in with David and Charlie. "Hey!"

"About time you woke up." Don leaned over and gave her a kissed on the cheek. "You scared us."

"Yeah, sorry, the doctor said I took my time coming out of the anesthesia." Megan sighed, "So what's been happening?"

Don shrugged, "Oh nothing much, we just caught the bad guys."

Megan brightened at that, "Colby did it! We got them." The three men in the room deflated a little. Megan frowned, "What's wrong? Is it Colby? Did something happen to him?" When they didn't answer her she panicked. "Tell me!" She winced at the pain in her ribs.

"Hey, take it easy. Colby is fine." David calmed her down. Don frowned at him. How did he know that? Nobody could find Colby after the arrests. "IA is talking to him."

Charlie frowned, "Why would Internal Affairs be talking to Colby?"

David looked at him in disbelief. "Charlie, he shot Megan!"

"We don't really know what happened." Charlie defended his friend.

"Actually he did." Megan admitted casually. All three men looked at her in shock. They all had their suspicion but it was now being confirmed. "But only to save my life." She quickly added when she saw how angry David was getting.

Don was confused now. "How is shooting you saving your life?"

Megan laid her head back and sighed. "Harmon's men ambushed me outside the takeout. He must've made me somehow. Anyway, they drugged me and took me to a park. That's when I saw Colby. He was acting strange, like he was trying to pretend he didn't know me. I saw that he had a gun and he was looking around nervously. I think he was trying to tell me that we were being watched. Then he pointed the gun at me and fired."

"How is that saving your life?" David asked, getting furious.

Megan glared at him. "Are you hearing my words? He didn't want to. After he shot me, he came up to me and fired another shot into the ground near my head." Megan turned to Don. "He put his beacon under my collar and told me you would be here soon." Megan smiled, "He begged me not to die."

Charlie sighed in relief, "The doctor said the bullet didn't hit anything vital. Colby's shot was calculated."

"He saved Megan's life and kept his cover." Don nodded, "He really is good at this undercover stuff."

David felt the blood drain from his face, realising he had messed up. Colby didn't betray them. He was wrong about Colby… again. "I called IA when I was waiting for Megan to wake up."

"You what?!" Don turned to him, furious. "Why would you do that?"

"I thought he shot Megan." The defence was weak now that he knew the truth. "I was angry."

"Oh David." Megan's tone was filled with disappointment.

Don shook his head and grabbed David. "Charlie, stay here with Megan." He pulled David out of the room. "You're going to clear all this crap with Colby. You hear me?" He pushed David in front of him. "Of all the stupid things you could've done, calling IA has got to be on top of that list."

"Come on, Don. You have to admit, Colby looked bad for Megan's shooting." David tried to defend his actions.

"I do, but I took time to think on all the evidence. I didn't act on impulse after seeing Megan because I knew all decisions would've been emotionally driven and we're FBI Agents. We need evidence!" Don made his way to their car and pulled out his phone. "Chris, I know where Colby is. Meet us at IA." He hung up the phone and sped out of the hospital parking.

* * *

Colby finished writing his 'confession'. It wasn't long. It didn't take much to say what he needed to say. Anyway, he didn't have the energy to keep writing. Colby pushed away the pad and laid his head on the table. He was so tired.

* * *

Don and Chris stormed into the IA's floor and walked straight into Agent Warren's office. "Where is Agent Granger?"

"He's in the interrogation room, writing his confession." Agent Warren sounded very proud. "He's going to confess to everything from shooting Megan Reeves to attempted act of terrorism. He's going away for a very long time."

Chris shook his head. "I always knew you were an idiot Warren but you've surpassed my expectations."

"Show us to him or I'll make sure your next station is in the middle of a desert!" Don growled at him. "NOW!"

Agent Warren was not happy but he did as he was asked. However, he didn't take them to the interrogation room. Instead, he brought them to the observation room. "There." He said, much like a bratty little boy.

The Agents hearts almost broke at the scene in front of them. Colby, cuffed to an interrogation table, pushed away the pen and notepad and laid his head on his folded hands. "Colby." Don put a hand out on the glass. There was something wrong. Don could feel it.

"Looks like he's done with his confession." Don spun around and shoved the man out the door.

"Let us in there." He ordered. As soon as Warren swiped his key card, Don shoved him aside and opened the door. "Come on, Colby. You're getting out of here." He frowned when Colby didn't get up. "Colby." Don shook him.

Chris picked up the so-called confession. "This is a resignation letter." He told them.

"Colby!" Don shook his friend harder. That was when he saw it.

Blood on the floor.

"God damn it!" He pulled Colby up on his seat. "Get these cuffs off him!" David quickly pulled out his keys and unlocked the cuffs. "Colby, wake up!" Colby's head lolled back showing how pale he was.

Chris walked around the table and saw the blood. "Where's all this blood coming from?" He squatted at Colby's chair, avoiding the blood and lifted Colby's shirt. It got stuck a little but it came away with a little incentive. Chris hissed at the gash their. "A bullet tore a piece out of his side. We gotta get him to the hospital." Don picked him up under the arms while Chris got his legs.

"David, call the hospital and tell them we're on the way!" David nodded, still in shock at what he was seeing. Why didn't he see that Colby was shot? David looked down at the resignation letter and picked it up, before running after Don and Chris. "I have an agent with a gunshot wound to his side. He's unconscious from blood loss. His blood type is A negative. He doesn't have any allergies. Have a doctor ready at the entrance of the ER."

Agent Warren looked at the blood in the interrogation room. "I am so fired."

* * *

David sat in the back of the truck with Colby's head on his lap. Don wedge himself between the driver's seat and the back, holding a towel against Colby's wound, keeping any more precious blood from escaping. "Please don't die." David begged, unknowingly repeating the words Colby chanted after shooting Megan. "Please don't die." David ran fingers through Colby's hair. "Please don't die." Colby's skin was cold and clammy. "Please don't die."

Don watched his agent as he prayed for his partner to survive this. He wanted to believe that this wasn't David's fault, that he didn't know this was going to happen but it was David's rash decisions that brought them to this point. He may not have shot Colby but his choices could lead to his death. Don shook himself of that last part. Colby wasn't going to die. It was not a fatal wound. Colby will survive this.

"We're here!" Chris called out, getting out of the car. Don and David helped get Colby out of the truck before handing him over to the doctors and nurses.

"I'm sorry." David said to Don as they watched Colby get pushed into the hospital.

"Don't say it to me. I'm not the one who needs to hear it." Don told him, disappointed in his friend. "And I don't know if it's going to be enough." He shook his head, "I don't get it. You're the most level-headed guy I know, but when it comes to Colby all reasoning goes out the door. I don't understand, because in the end, Colby's done nothing wrong."

"I know."

Don sighed. He knew there was no point yelling at the man anymore. David was already punishing himself and in the end, he himself was partly to blame. He should never have let Colby go. Don had planned on taking this opportunity to tell Colby exactly that but he never got the chance. He never counted on Colby being so cold towards them. He never expected anything like this to happen.

"You guys coming or you just going to stand there?" Chris asked them.

Don turned to David and nudged his head towards the entrance. "Come on."

* * *

David, Chris and Don sat in the chairs in the waiting area. David was holding the resignation letter in his hand. It was still folded up. He couldn't bring himself to read what could be Colby's last words.

Don worried about both his agents. He wasn't sure David could come back from this if Colby didn't survive. Don got off his seat when he saw Charlie wheeling Megan towards them. "What are you doing up?"

"I'm fine, Don. What happened? I thought he was in IA how did he end up in the ER?" Megan demanded. This situation was such a mess that it made no sense.

"He was shot during the take down. It's not entirely their fault. Nobody saw it." Chris tried to take the heat of the two L.A Agents, knowing they felt bad enough.

"Actually, it is entirely my fault. I arrested him while all of you were arresting Harmon and his men. I marched him right up to Agent Warren." David spoke with self-loathing.

Chris's eyes turned deadly, "I stand corrected." He shook his head is disgust. "You know, I've read Colby's file while he was working with you and it sounded great. I never understood why he left or why he never spoke about any of you. Now I get it. You're all asses!"

"We are. I never should've let him go." Don ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Why did I tell him to take this job?"

"So what? He asked for your opinion and you told him to come here?" Chris couldn't believe what he was hearing. No wonder why Colby looked so angry when he asked about his team in L.A? He looked at the paper in David's hand. "What does it say?"

Don looked at David, "Read it." He ordered, knowing it would be torture to hear the words but also knowing they deserved it.

David hesitated before opening up the letter. "I, Colby Granger, hereby tender my letter of resignation to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. I have given everything to the FBI and have nothing more to offer. This Agency and its members no longer trust me and I no longer trust it or them. Sincerely, Colby Granger."

"Great! Now he thinks he can't even trust us, probably because nobody stopped his arrest!" Chris growled at David. "How screwed up can you get?"

"Hey, he didn't know it could get this far." Megan tried to defend David, although she was angry as well.

"Yeah? Really? Because it sounded like he was trying to get him kicked out of the FBI." Chris couldn't look at them any longer. "Congratulations. He may not have been fired but the end result is still the same." Chris moved so that he had his back to Don's team.

Charlie watched how defeated the team looked. Don's team was never the same after Colby left. They didn't have as much fun. If Don was the heart of the team and David the compass with Megan as their conscience, then Colby was the laughter. They faced death everyday and in a job like this, they needed someone to show them the other side of life. Colby never let the death eat him up and he never let it eat the team up either. He kept life balanced.

Charlie sat down next to his brother and squeezed his shoulder. "Colby is going to be fine and you're going to get him back." Don looked at his brother, wondering why he was so sure. "You're my brother and you have an ego the size of this room. No way you're letting Colby slip through your fingers a second time."

Don knew Charlie was trying to make him laugh or give him hope but he couldn't see the light at the end of this tunnel. "You didn't see him." He nodded to the letter in David's hand, "He finished that and then pushed it aside. He laid on that table, like he was ready to die, ready to accept whatever came next, whether it's good or bad." Don pressed his fingers to his eyelids, trying to stop the tears, "This is Colby, Charlie. Colby doesn't give up. Whatever life throws at him, he just takes it and gets right back up. He took it this time but I don't think he's getting back up." Don turned to Charlie, tears in his eyes. "He's not getting back up, Charlie, and that's on me."

Charlie shook his head. "No…no…that's not true." He took Don by the shoulders. "Do you remember the Nikki Davis case?" Don looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Of course you do, you knew her intimately. Well…back then, I applied a modified version of the Holmes-Rahe stress test to see how likely she was to kill herself and it turned out I was right. She was murdered."

"What are you getting at, Charlie?" Don asked, he wasn't sure he could follow his brother today with his maths.

"I never told you this, but I was worried about your job and how it was affecting you so I applied the same test to you." Don frowned, a little surprised that his brother was worried about him in that way. "You're fine because of the network of friends and family in your life. All of that outweighs the bad things you see in your job." Don nodded, but still not understanding what this had to do with Colby.

"You're saying Colby has those same networks, so he's going to bounce back from this." Megan followed Charlie's line of thinking. "But does it still apply if it's that network of friends that caused all the bad things that's happening?"

Charlie smiled, "Well, that's the beauty of it. All you need to do is show Colby that that network of friends is still as strong as ever. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but Colby's worth the effort."

Don smiled at his brother. It always amazed him how he could apply Maths to social situations. "Yeah, he is." He nudged his head at David. "What do you say?"

"I have to try. I owe him that." David promised.

"Good." Don took a breath. He turned to Chris. "I hope you don't mind but we're taking Colby back with us."

Chris just held up his middle finger at them. Don grinned.

* * *

"Colby Granger?" A doctor called out. All the men stood. Charlie wheeled Megan over to the doctor.

"How is he?" Chris asked for all of them.

"It was a close one. He lost a lot of blood and on top of that, the wound was infected. That hoodie he was wearing was filthy. If he were a child I would've called Children's services." Dr Wells admonished them.

"He was undercover. Is he going to be alright?" Chris asked, a little annoyed the doctor was giving them useless information.

"The bullet grazed him, although considering the damage to his side, I would say it was more than one bullet. It didn't hit anything otherwise he would have bled out long before you got him here." They could tell this doctor wasn't happy with them. "We gave him a blood transfusion and we've drained the infection. He went from almost going into shock to having a fever now. We're optimistic that the fever will break by tomorrow." Dr Wells smiled at the relieved looks on all their faces. "He's in room 218." She dismissed them.

* * *

Colby was elevated in his bed with an IV in his left wrist. He fine sheen of sweat could be seen across his brow, indicating he was fighting a fever. His colour returned thanks to the blood transfusion. Megan was only allowed a short visit before Charlie pushed her back to her own room to rest. Chris wanted to stay but he knew Don and David needed to be here more than he did. "You two better fix this with him. There is no way I'm letting someone with his potential leave the Bureau." Chris left them to fix up the mess.

Don made himself comfortable on the couch near the window, while David stayed in the armchair close by. They weren't leaving Colby's side.

* * *

Colby opened his eyes when the morning sun's rays reached him eyes. Colby squinted; lifting his hand to shield his eyes from the bright light. He looked around the room, unsure of where he was. "Hospital?" He whispered through his dry throat. "How did I get here?" He put his hands down when his eyes finally adjusted to the bright light. That was when he noticed he wasn't alone. Don was asleep on the couch and David was asleep in the chair next to him. "I'm dreaming." He looked around for something to drink and found the jug on the table to his right. He reached over to get it. "Sssssss…" Colby hissed at the pain in his side. "What the hell?" He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tight at the pain.

David jolted awake at the sound of Colby's curse. He looked over and saw his friend in pain. Getting up, he gave Colby's shoulder a squeeze, hoping to provide some sort of anchor. "Breathe, Colby."

Colby felt the squeeze on his shoulder and focused on it instead of the pain. He did as the voice said and breathed in and out slowly until the pain receded. "There we go." There's that voice again. Colby opened his eyes and saw that it belonged to David. "You got shot." David told him, knowing he must be confused as to why he was here.

"Lucky me." Colby turned his head away from David and closed his eyes.

David sighed, he was getting what he deserved. "Listen, I don't know what I can say to show how sorry I am. I was wrong about you." There was no sign that showed Colby was listening to him. He was surprised to see that Don was awake and looking at them both. He nodded for David to continue. "I wasn't thinking after we found Megan. I…"

"How's Megan?" Colby opened his eyes, interrupting him.

"She's fine. Doctor said your shot didn't hit anything vital and because Chris got there in time, she didn't lose that much blood. You saved her life." David told him.

Colby closed his eyes again and turned away. "I'm glad she's okay."

"Colby…"

"You should go. I'm really tired." Colby didn't open his eyes as he spoke. "Don't come back."

David sighed and looked at Don, not knowing what he could say. Don nudged his head towards the door, telling David to go for now. He'd see if he had any luck. "We really are sorry." Don spoke once David closed the door.

Colby opened his eyes. Don was expecting there to be anger in them but it was worse. They were empty. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You're FBI. You do what you think is right and if that's arresting me then so be it."

He knew what he was about to say sounded like he was passing the buck but he needed Colby to know the truth. "I didn't know David called IA. I wouldn't have let them take you if I knew."

"I shot Megan, why shouldn't he call IA?" Colby's voice was as empty as his eyes.

"You know why you shot her. You saved her life." Don reached over and squeezed Colby's shoulder. "And you kept your cover."

"You know I kept waiting for someone to get me out of that room. Agent Warren was pounding me with questions and accusations that I was starting to believe I really was dirty." Colby looked at Don with those empty eyes. "I really was going to write a confession and that's when I realised i have no more to give to the Bureau. It's taken everything from me." Colby closed his eyes. "So I resigned."

"Colby…don't…"

"Please don't ask me to stay." It was a plea, the first emotion Don's heard from him. Colby opened his eyes and begged his former boss. "I don't know if I can handle it if I stayed. I spent the last two years pretending I'm okay. I spent the two years before those keeping secrets. My whole career has been a lie, Don." Colby wiped away the tears before he could fall. "This job is taking away who I am. I'm scared…" Colby said in a shaky whisper, "I'm scared that if I keep going there's going to be nothing left of me."

Don closed his eyes. How could he ask Colby to come back after that? It would be selfish and yet he couldn't stop himself from trying. Charlie said they could fix this if they fixed the network. They had to start building. He had to start. "I know I don't deserve it, but please just listen. I promise I'll leave as soon as I'm done."

Colby just closed his eyes.

"You said the right thing to do was take the job here in DC and I agreed with you without even thinking about it. That was my first mistake." Don wanted to right every wrong he'd made even if it was just words. "You left the office and I didn't stop you. That was my second mistake." Don took a breath before continuing. "I picked up the phone so many times to call you, but I never let the call go through. That was my third mistake." Colby was looking at him now. Don was talking through everything he was regretting and it was everything Colby had kept bottled inside him. "In the two years I let pass, there were so many more mistakes I made but two weeks ago, I walked into your office and my first words to you should've been; 'I need you back' but I didn't say it. Mistake number…" Don shook his head, tired of all the mistakes, "I don't…54." Hope reared its little head when Colby chuckled. Don smiled. "Out of all of the mistakes I made, the worse one was not knocking sense into David the moment we all realised you didn't betray us." Colby looked at him, hopelessness returning. "David's my agent. He's my responsibility and I was so worried about his feelings that I neglected yours. That's on me."

Colby didn't know what to say. Everything Colby wanted to scream to the world was just verbalised by Don, the man he respected the most. He wanted to believe Don, to trust that he could return to his team and have everything go back to the way it should be, but he didn't know if he could trust him or the Bureau again.

Don reached over and squeezed his arm. "I'm not asking you to forgive us or trust us, right now. I'm asking you to give us a chance to earn your trust again."

Colby looked down at the hand and then back up at Don. "It's no wonder you're the boss. You're very persuasive."

Don grinned. "I have my days."

"I can't prom…" Colby and Don frowned as a racket outside the door drew their attention. The voices grew louder. "That's Seb." Colby grimaced as he tried to get up.

"Let me handle this." Don gently pushed him back against the bed. "Just rest." Colby looked up at him worried. Don smiled, "Come on. You've known me for two years. I can break up a fight."

"Seb's a little hot headed."

Don shrugged, "Trust me." The corner of Colby's mouth tugged at those words.

* * *

Don got out just in time to stop Sebastian from ploughing himself into David, who looked like he'd be sporting a few bruises soon. "What's going on?" Don kept his arm out keeping Sebastian at a distance from David. She looked at the nurse on the phone, obviously calling security. "I'll handle this, ma'am." The nurse nodded and hung up the phone. "One of you want to tell me what's going on?"

"You don't know? You're his boss!" Sebastian yelled at him, while throwing David a dirty look.

Don sighed, "Chris told you everything."

"Hell yeah, he told me everything. Colby's my partner! Partners have each others back." He growled at David. "They don't call IA on them."

"That was a misunderstanding." Don tried to diffuse the bomb.

"A _misunderstanding?_ " Sebastian asked, as if he was hard of hearing. "A misunderstanding is someone turning right at a light when the person told him to turn left." He jabbed a finger at David, " _This_ is screwed up!"

Don put out both his hands now, trying to calm Sebastian. "Look Seb…"

"Sebastian or Agent Revesby," Sebastian corrected. "Only my friends call me Seb."

Don nodded, "Okay, Sebastian. Your friend, and partner, is in there and he's awake. He's a little worried about this so will you go in there and reassure him that his current partner hasn't killed his former one."

Sebastian backed off a little and calmed down, looking at the door of the room. "Fine, but this isn't over." He promised David before going in.

Don huffed and turned to David. "You okay?"

David rubbed his jaw and his abdomen. "He got in a few punches but I'm fine."

"He got in the punches or you let him?" Don knew David wouldn't have fought back or defended himself. He believed he deserved what he got. "I know you feel crap about what you did but you can't do anything to change that and letting Sebastian kill you definitely won't help."

"It makes me feel better." David shrugged, plopping down in a chair, drained.

Don sat down next to him and put a hand on his back. "The way I see it; you know you were wrong, which is the first step to fixing things with Colby."

"This isn't a mistake I made in my high school exam. I messed with Colby's life and career!" David hung his head. "How can I be an FBI Agent if I can do that to someone I once called a friend?"

Don grimaced, it was a bad mistake but it wasn't un-fixable. "Everybody screws up really badly once in his or her life time. It's what they do afterwards that counts." He turned in his seat. "Colby's willing to think about giving us another chance."

David turned to him, a little hopeful and very impressed. He didn't think Colby would consider anything after what he went through. "You must be pretty persuasive."

Don laughed, "You must be partners. That's what he said."

* * *

Colby smiled at his visitor who walked in with his usual boisterous steps and big grin. "So Agent Granger does it again." Sebastian talked like he was a commentator. "He goes undercover, zones in on his mark and takes them all down!" He made the sound of a crowd cheering.

Colby chuckled, "Ow…Don't make me laugh, Seb."

Sebastian grinned as he sat down in the chair David was in. His mood faltered, "You're old partner is some piece of work."

Colby shrugged, "He's a good Agent."

"You're defending him?" Sebastian voice went up in disbelief. "The guy called IA on you. Those guys are an Agents worse nightmare so unless I catch your hand in the cookie jar and it's costing lives, I do not call IA!"

"He thought I shot Megan." Colby closed his eyes, feeling tired. He didn't want to talk about it again. "If it was Jason, Chris or Janet, you might not feel the same way."

Sebastian shook his head, smiling in awe. "You're a good man, Colby Granger."

Colby shook his head, "Nah, I'm just tired of being angry."

Sebastian frowned at his friend's weak state. He reached over and felt his forehead. Colby swatted his hand away, annoyed. "What are you doing, man?"

"We were told your fever broke a couple of hours ago." Sebastian accused.

"Yeah, so?"

"I may not be a doctor but you've got a fever." Sebastian pressed the button to call a nurse.

"What are you doing?" Colby was irritable now.

"Just lay there and let the pretty nurses take care of you." Sebastian turned to the nurse who had just walked in and saw that Don and David had followed her. He glared at David, while he spoke to the nurse. "He's got a fever." Sebastian moved out of the way so the nurse could work. He shook his head at David. "Colby must've owed you big time in his last life and he's paying for in this life." A sharp hiss from Colby drew their attention.

Colby tried not to react to the nurses probing but he couldn't help it when a sharp pain shot through his side. "I'm going to page Dr Wells. There may be a complication."

"A complication?" Sebastian asked her, "How complicated?"

"Seb leave her alone. You're scaring her." Colby groaned, smiling at he nurse. "Ignore them. They get this way when one of us are laid up."

"Dr Wells will be here soon." The nurse left them to worry over their friend.

"You can't just have a smooth recovery, can you?" Don sighed as he reached out a placed a hand on Colby's brow, much to the patient's distaste, but he allowed it.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes as Colby endured Don's hovering. "How come you don't swat his hand away?" He complained.

"You're my partner, he's my boss." Colby closed his eyes, feeling sleep tug at him. Don couldn't help but smile at the words. He knew Colby didn't realise what he had said.

Sebastian shook his head at them. "You guys must really mean something to him. There is no way I could forgive you for what you did but he seems like he's ready to."

David hoped so. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I did do something is my past life to deserve his forgiveness." He shook his head, "Doesn't mean I'll be forgiving myself any time soon."

Sebastian let out a breath and stepped up to Colby's side, giving his arm a squeeze. "Chris only gave me a couple of hours off. I'll come by after work." Colby mumbled something incoherently in his half-sleep state.

He had one more thing to say before he left. "Colby's a great agent. We've closed more cases since he joined our team." He looked back at Colby. "But we all knew his heart was back in L.A. He's a great teammate and a great partner. I trust him to watch my back every time we head out but I'm also scared every time we go out because Colby takes risks that he shouldn't." Sebastian turned back to Don and David. "Do you know how many cases we've taken that required undercover work?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Eleven. Do you know who the undercover agent was in all eleven of those case?"

"Colby."

Sebastian nodded, "Yeah, after two years of being undercover, you'd think he would be sick of it, but he takes on every single case. I don't know why but I do know we lose a little bit of him each time. And I can tell you now; there wasn't much to begin with." He sighed. He's said enough. Colby would shoot him if he found out he told them this. "If he does go back with you and I'm saying this from the bottom of my heart; I hope he does, don't blow it."

Don and David stayed in the room with Colby, only leaving when Charlie came in to relieve one of them so that they could grab a bite or have a shower. The fever steadily rose as they waited until David's patience grew thin. Colby wasn't asleep anymore he was unconscious and the fever had him in the throws of a nightmare. He tossed and turned in the bed, groaning. "Damn it. I'm going to get that doctor!" David stormed out of the room in search of Dr Wells.

"Come on, Colby. You can beat this." Don placed cool hand against his brow, wincing at he damp skin under his hand. He leaned over and whispered into Colby's ear. "I've never told anyone this and if you tell anyone I told you this I will deny it; the director thinks I've been looking at a replacement for you but I never even tried. I never tried because I kept telling myself that you would be back. I kept the position open for two year for you, Colby, because no one can replace you on my team." Don smiled when Colby's tossing seemed to lessen at those words. "I knew you could hear me. Hang in there. I didn't fly across the country to get you back just to lose you to a stupid bullet graze."

David returned dragging Dr Wells with him. She straightened her sleeve when he let go of her, clearly unimpressed but as soon as she saw Colby's condition she got straight to work. "I'm sorry. I was with another patient." She pushed aside Colby's blanket and gown and gently pulled off the gauze on Colby's wound. "Damn." She cursed. "An abscess formed in the soft tissue. I need to drain it." The nurse came in. "Prep him for surgery." Dr Wells led to the two concerned agents out of the room. "It's a simple surgery. As soon as the infection is drained he'll recover quickly." She assured them. "It shouldn't be more than an hour."

Don and David watched as they rolled Colby out of the room. "Come on, David. Let's go visit Megan and pray she's doing better in her recovery." They headed down to the cafeteria first before going to Megan. She's going to want to know about everything and they're going to need caffeine to get them through the story of how badly they messed up.

* * *

When they finished their story, Megan was smiling. David was annoyed. "Can you tell me what you heard so that I can smile too?"

Megan grinned, "Colby's coming back." She said confidently.

Don was intrigued. "How so?" He asked, leaning back against the couch. Megan was good at reading people, if she was so confident, he wanted to know why.

"For one, Colby's not one to give false hope. If he said he's going to think about what you said, he's going to." She wiggled two fingers, "Two; family means a lot to Colby and I know we were more a family to him than a team. By the sounds of things, he never built the same connection with his team here."

"Is there a three?" David didn't think those two reasons were strong enough to determine that Colby was returning with them. "Because I pushed him to resign."

"How about the fact that he wants to rebuild the network I was talking about as much as we do?" Charlie joined in.

"What makes you say that?" Don asked. Charlie was someone who spoke in absolutes because that's what Maths was. He wanted to hear what Charlie had to add to this conversation.

"Well, I add values to actions, events and networks in Colby's life. When Colby got the details of the terrorist attack, he sent a message to your phone." Charlie pointed to Don. "Not his current boss but his former one. In a situation as urgent as that, you don't think, you act. His natural reaction was to contact you." Charlie smiled, "After _two years!_ That's big numbers for me to add to the test."

"And how about my actions? How much do they add or do they take away instead?" David wasn't going to allow himself off the hook so easily. Hell, he kept Colby on the hook for two years.

"I'm not saying your actions don't affect him negatively but what I'm seeing here, I don't see them outweighing the positives in his life." Charlie grinned, "I agree with Megan. Colby's coming back with us."

"We'll see…" David hoped they were right but he couldn't get the words in Colby's resignation letter out of his head, nor could he get the image of Colby in that interrogation room out of his mind.

Don looked at his watch, "Colby should be out of surgery soon. Let's head back."

"Wait for me. I want to go for a walk." Megan slowly pushed herself up.

"Should you be up?" Don asked even as he helped her to her feet.

"Doctor says I can leave tomorrow. I'm fine. Colby's shot barely caused any damage." She shook her head, "I never knew Colby was such a marksman. He could give Ian a run for his money. It was dark but he didn't miss."

"Yeah, that guy is better than he lets on." Don said of the modest Agent.

* * *

The team sat around the room as they waited for Colby to wake up from the surgery. As the doctor said, it was a simple surgery and Colby already looked better. The infection was drained and Colby's temperature returned to normal. Don made sure Megan was comfortable on the couch and Charlie sat next to her. David and Don stayed by his bedside.

Colby's brow furrowed. A telltale sign that he was waking up. He opened his eyes and focused on Don. "Don't you have anything better to do?" Don laughed, grabbing the cup on the table and helping Colby take a sip. "Thanks." He sighed as the water ran down his dry throat.

"How are you feeling?" Don asked for everyone. He frowned at David, noticing how he was keeping quiet and standing back from the bed.

He glanced down at his wound. "That feels better."

"You should've told us it didn't feel good." Don berated softly.

Colby rolled his eyes. "I was shot, of course it doesn't feel good." Megan giggled from her place on the couch. Colby's head shot up at the sound. "Megan?"

Megan's heart went out to Colby at the way he said her name. There was relief, surprise, hope all rolled into one emotion. She got up with Charlie's help and walked over to her friend. David helped her to sit on the side of his bed. "Megan." Despite the pain to both of them, Colby pushed himself up and pulled Megan to him. "I thought I killed you." He sobbed into her shoulder, hugging her tighter.

Megan ran her hand up and down his back trying to sooth her friend. "You knew you didn't. You knew what you were doing and you saved my life."

Colby shook his head, not letting go of her. "I didn't know for sure. I didn't know and I couldn't call." He was shaking now as the words stumbled out. The team never realised how much the shooting was eating at Colby. He never showed it. If he did they would've made sure Megan was there when he woke up the first time. "I prayed…I prayed so hard…I wanted to call…there was no one…I couldn't…"

"Ssshhh…" Megan cried as she comforted her friend. "I'm right here. I didn't die." When she felt Colby was calm enough she pulled back and smiled through her tears as she wiped away his. "Look at me. I'm in better shape than you right now. It was a clean shot…didn't do any damage." Colby nodded and let himself drop back, grimacing at discomfort in his side. "You didn't have to get a matching scar just because you felt bad." Everyone laughed at that.

"Ow…" They both said, holding their wounds, then laughed even harder. It's been a while since they heard Colby's laughter and just as long since they've all laughed together.

David smiled at his friend in the bed. He knew things weren't back to normal yet, but this was a good start.

* * *

Chris Adderton and his team were standing outside when the laughter started. They smiled. "I think Colby's home." Chris was happy for him but a little sad that he would lose such a good agent. "We should come back in the morning. I'm sure they still have a lot to talk about."

"I'm going to miss messing around with him." Janet pouted as they walked away.

Jason wrapped his arm around his partner, "I'm going to miss the way he leaps over balconies and runs after perps. You have no idea how hot I got watching that guy run." Janet looked at him in disgust. "Admit you, you liked it too." She shrugged. She couldn't deny it.

Chris shook his head at them. "Colby was good at his job but he was the worst distraction for those two."

Sebastian agreed, "There were times I swear they would deliberate let the suspect past them just to watch Granger in action."

* * *

Don enjoyed the little reprieve they got from their current situation. He wished it would last but he had something to say. He stood up and pulled out an envelope. "Alright everyone. While I have you all here I have something to say." Colby frowned at him, unsure of what was about to happen. Don smiled at him and shook his head, telling him not to worry. He couldn't though.

Don tapped the envelope in his hand, "This is a transfer form I filled out for Colby and got the director to sign before we left L.A. I want Colby back on our team."

"Hell yeah!" Megan grinned, still sitting on Colby's bed.

"Don…" Colby begged him not to pressure him.

Don held up his hand, "This is not official until you sign it. I'm not forcing you to make a decision now. I'm just letting you know you have the option. It's your choice." He held out the envelope to the man in the bed. Colby took it tentatively, as if it would explode in his hand. "There's also a one-way open ticket in there." Colby looked up at him, not knowing what to say. "There's no expiry date on that offer. Your position on my team will always be open."

Colby nodded and gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

Don reached over and squeezed his forearm. "No matter what you choose, it's a privilege working with you."

Colby gave his crooked smile. "Likewise."

"We're going to head off and let you rest. We have to head back to L.A in the morning."

Colby turned to Megan, concerned. "Will you be okay to fly?"

Megan smiled caressing his cheek. "Doctor has already cleared me. Don't worry about me. You just get better and I'll see you again." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"I hope I see you back in L.A, Colby. We all miss you over there." Charlie shook the man's hand. "You're going to be okay. My equations tell me that."

Colby chuckled, "I never argue with your equations."

Don's said everything he's needed to say. He shook the man's hand and left with Megan and Charlie. He looked at David, telling him to stay. There was still a lot to be said between the two Agents. Whether or not Colby chose to come back, he deserved an explanation from David.

* * *

David stepped up to the bed with his hands in his pockets. He couldn't bring himself to look Colby in the eye. "I've been asking myself why I stayed angry at you for so long?" Colby fiddled with his blanket. "I kept that anger with me and I let it fester to the point where I let it control me. I didn't stop until I almost got you killed." Colby looked up at him, but David still couldn't look him in the eye. "That's when I realised I held onto the anger because I knew if I let it go, all I would feel was guilt." Finally, he turned to Colby. "We were tight before your name came up on the Janus List, right?" Colby could see the pain in David's eyes. He nodded. "We told each other everything. None of it was lies?" Colby shook his head. No. He never lied about himself. "And yet, when you looked dirty, I believed it without a doubt. I never gave you a chance."

Colby sighed, "It wouldn't have mattered if you did. I needed to get into the jail to break Dwayne out. You could've interrogated me for ten days straight. I wouldn't have said a thing to defend myself."

David shook his head, "Everyone felt something was off but me. I was your partner. If anyone should've known, it was me."

Colby shook his head when David stopped talking. "What do you want me to say, David? That's I'm okay with what you did? That I understand? Because I don't. I get that you were angry, but that was two years ago and you know I'm not a traitor. I don't get it, David…I don't."

"I know. How could you when I only just figured it out?" David rubbed his face. "I wouldn't let myself think logically. Every move you made I perceived it as a threat and Megan getting shot was just the fuel to add to the fire I let out of control." David dropped his hands to his side, defeated. "I thought it proved me right all along. I grabbed at the chance to prove that I had the right to be angry with you, that you weren't trustworthy."

"So you did all this because you didn't want to feel guilty?" Colby wasn't sure he believed what he was hearing. "Do you have any idea how I felt when Agent Warren told me you're the one who turned me in?" Colby wished this nightmare would go away. He hated feeling like this. He hated feeling angry and confused and resentful. "I believed this was my place. I love being an FBI Agent. I was so sure I would dedicate my life to the FBI, but it took just a two words from Agent Warren to make me write my resignation letter. _Agent Sinclair._ I was in that room because of you."

"I know."

"I want to get past this, David. I do, but I don't know how." Colby was begging him. "Tell me how and I'll do it. I don't want to feel like this any more."

David took in a shaky breath. Why was Colby begging him for help when it should be the other way? "There's nothing I can do to change the past. I did it and I'm going to have to live with it, but you don't." David made up his mind. "If I'm the only reason you won't come back to the team, then I'll put in for a transfer." Colby sat up a little at that. "I did this. You shouldn't be punished for it."

"That's not what I want." Colby whispered angrily. "I want everything to go back to normal."

David shook his head, helpless, "I don't know how to do that."

"The team won't be the same if you leave because of me. It won't change anything, David! Don't you see that?" Colby couldn't understand why David didn't see it. "A family is never the same when it loses a family member!"

Suddenly the penny dropped for David. Family. The network they were trying to rebuild wasn't the teams or their friendship. It was their family. "You're my brother." David smiled, shaking his head at the simplicity of the solution. "This has all been so hard and it hurt so much _because_ you're my brother, but it should've been just as simple for the same reason. We're family. We can forgive anything."

Colby felt the air clear at those words. It was as if a veil was removed and suddenly he saw the world the way he was supposed to. Those were the words he needed to hear. That was it. David was right. It was simple. They were family and family stuck together, no matter what. He smiled. "Family."

* * *

David in his chair and stared at the empty desk next to him. It's been one whole week and it's still empty. Megan tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a cup of coffee. "Give it time."

"It's been a week!" David complained.

"I know…I know." Megan didn't like to see the table empty either.

"Come on, David. It's D.C. Everything over there takes time." Don reasoned, though it didn't quite feel right until that table was filled.

"Look at what's arrived!" Colby was grinning as he walked towards them with a box in his arm.

"Finally!" David got up and grabbed the box, rummaging through it.

Colby frowned at him. "It my stuff. Why are you going through my stuff?" He turned to Don and Megan who just shrugged. David's been a little obsessive about Colby's table being empty since he returned to the team.

"Got it!" David pulled out Colby's fishing lure. "The Woolly bugger!"

"A what?" In the two years Don's worked with Colby, he's never heard of it. He looked at Megan who was just as clueless.

"My dad made it for me." Colby explained as he got out of the way for David. "Though I have no idea why he's so attached to it?"

David attached the woolly bugger to Colby's light. It's always been there. Don and Megan just never quite paid attention to it. Maybe it's because David knew the story behind it and they didn't. "Ah…that's better." David sat back in his seat and leaned back. "Never felt right not seeing that when you're at that desk."

Colby shook his head in amusement. "You're a weird one." He carefully pulled out his belonging and started putting them back where they belonged. Obvious this took too long for David's liking. "What the…" Colby complained the hand that pulled him out of the way by his collar. He looked in disbelief as David removed each item and put them back exactly where Colby had them two years ago. Colby smiled, warmed by the fact that David remembered exactly how his desk was. He sat down in David's chair and watched his partner work.

Don and Megan exchanged grins. Their team…no…their family was back together again.

 **The End!**


End file.
